A New Dawn It is a daunting and crushing moment to realize how long it has taken a modern culture to take responsibility for establishing equality among it citizens. After a tortured and long process of street demonstrations, a costly national referendum and a parliamentary debate this 21st century democracy wiggled and struggled to legalize

Despite Hong Kong officially being in communist China the LGBT community and supporters mounted another colorful Pink Dot festival on Sunday Sept 20. We were there to support our HK friends and the thousands of other ‘Pink Friends’ who lead the way–with Shanghai and Beijing–toward equal rights in China. This festival is a far cry

Here is the dramatic story about Greg Louganis’ husband. I met them at the Gay Games last year where Louganis received a well-deserved long standing ovation when he appeared to give a speech at the opening ceremony. Here is the story of Johnny Chaillot-Louganis who survived hurricane Katrina and an emotional aftermath.

For those of us who had missing fathers when we were young, the ‘lost chord’ remains. As times have moved into a new age of family-making there are young boys and girls who are blessed to have two fathers or two moms. Last year a video came across the Net from Holland of a twelve year-old guy singing ‘Two Fathers’ at a youth concert, surrounded by hundreds of other kids who joined in the song of praise for his two dads.

FYI: for those who think humans are superior and separate from other primates, here are our cousins: BONOBO Apes Bonobo communities are peace loving and generally egalitarian. The strongest social bonds (blue) are those among females (green), although females also bond with males. The status of a male (purple) depends on the position of his

We were there! Every once is a while a bizarre junction of past travels and present drama comes into notice. This story is about a far-west museum in Uzbekistan swirling in controversy because corrupt state officials are trying to steal and sell fine art from the museum’s wonderful collection by Igor Savitsky (photo below). We

In today’s NYTimes is an article about gender dysphoria and treatments for transgender desire. There are indeed numerous variations to gender, as noted here. The article focuses on dysphoric people who ‘suffer’ and what the options are. In addition to these folks there are countless men who express themselves in a ‘nellie’ or feminine manner

Seen this? http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2015/07/30/russias-next-target-gay-emojis-yes-really/ Just think how many hundreds of thousands of people around the world are involved in the business of homophobia. From official authorized censors, police, prosecutors to NGO charities that defile us to local vigilante gangs that hunt us down to damage or kill us to bloggers who vilely obsess on our bedroom

This is actual and real; and it is also the story of ‘Everygayman’ from any psychotic religion-polluted society that is blind to the varieties of human nature. I had a Turkish gay friend who was murdered by his father on the streets of Istanbul. I currently have a friend from Yemen who escaped being killed

A by-product of homophobia is a backlash of hysteria from travelers who over-simplify and exaggerate homophobia in foreign countries. As the owner and writer for GlobalGayz.com (a LGBT travel and culture website) I have been to most countries. See: https://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2015/07/22/why-gay-honeymooners-should-stop-avoiding-countries-with-anti-lgbt-laws/ I have never encountered in-my-face discrimination traveling alone or with my husband. During my visits

It’s no surprise that Italy is so resistant to LGBT issues. It has been the home country of one of the world’s most homophobic religions for nearly two millennia, plenty of time to infuse and distort the culture’s appreciation of human nature (and not just regarding sexuality). Now those antique prejudices are being confronted with

Many steps forward, one step backward, in North Carolina. How deeply are those NC law-makers stained by distorted religion to invalidate their intelligent governor and flaunt the US Constitution that unequivocally mandates separation of religious belief systems from secular rights. Where are these dumber-than-dumb legislators coming from; their arrogance to reject the democratic ethics that

In a landmark vote, the European Parliament has demanded to include LGBT rights in a future EU gender equality strategy. The current strategy for equality between women and men runs out at the end of this year. The report voted yesterday, is the Parliament’s input for the gender equality strategy 2016-2020. Specifically on LGBT issues,

Friends, I have donated to this Kickstarter project. I hope you will too: Today the German film makers Benjamin Cantu and Nils Bökamp launched the Kickstarter campaign “Because of Who I am” to fund 30.000€ for an ambitious worldwide screening tour of their queer art documentary of the same name. In cooperation with several organizations

Here’s an interesting read if you believe in some kind of divine being/presence. But I think it’s all a crock of mindless irrational word games. We exist in a universe of sublime infinite space and time with no mythology about a ‘grandaddy’ pulling the strings and making the planet in six days…! http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/03/12/unraveling-the-church-ban-on-gay-sex/

Here is a story about a fine and affirming southern Baptist college that will not be intimidated by bigotry and “idolatry of the bible” from fundamentalist anti-gay pastors who cannot see further than the worn out pages of their tattered bibles and rigid dogma. http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2015/03/11/pastors-oppose-lesbian-bishop-speaker-at-baptist-college/24744385/

Video shows ISIS Burned Jordanian Pilot Alive If the video is confirmed, this is beyond human cruelty, into pure evil. Another holocaust. I don’t understand why surrounding nations, far and near, cannot mount an enormous combined assault of several hundred thousand military troops against ISIS. The unimpeded progress of ISIS is similar to Nazi aggression

I just returned from Bangkok and Jomthien Beach (Pattaya) and I observed seeing more katoeys (trans) persons than ever before–which is a good thing. I am not aware of any witch-hunt for these folks although I did not see the ‘back streets’ of BKK’s LGBT life. The folks I saw were mostly at shops in

How fine is this! A very much ignored and under-served LGBT population is receiving recognition in Australia. http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2014/07/02/australia-sydney-opera-house-hosts-festival-celebrating-queer-indigenous-culture/ Also see this report: Aboriginal Queers (From: http://www.globalgayz.com/gay-australia-and-gay-games-vi-2/279/) Appealing and wonderful as the scene was, the folks I wanted to interview in Melbourne were rather unique: Indigenous Aboriginal homosexuals. Prior to arriving for the

Singapore’s Catholic archbishop has spouted his bigoted opinion about LGBT people–again. Why do such ridiculous people get quoted in the media? Dressed in absurd outdated costumes with weird hats their ideas about life are about as modern as their outfits. Look at his photo–is such a person who plays god and dresses like a Harry

Justice Continues to Roll Across the USA June 26, 2014 Today: Gay and lesbian couples have started exchanging vows in Indiana after a federal judge on Wednesday struck down the state’s ban on gay marriage. Today: A federal appeals court on Wednesday affirmed a lower court’s ruling striking down Utah’s ban on gay marriage. “The

GLOBALGAYZ.COM CELEBRATES 15 YEARS ONLINE International Gay Travel-Culture-Rights Website Celebrates 15 Years, 300 Stories and 200 Countries. It started in 1996 with a interview story about a closeted gay Taiwanese couple, one dying of of AIDS. Other stories about gay life followed as Richard Ammon, a retired psychologist, continued to write for a local Orange

Read Here The Difference Between Regression and Progress; Between Retrograde Stupidity About Human Sexuality and Intelligent Scientific Evidence; Between Russia and USA. Russia Moscow police on Saturday detained two women attempting to hold an unsanctioned Gay Pride demonstration. According to the AP, the demonstration took place across from the Moscow mayor’s office. Reuters reported that

This is an outrage that any government official of Uganda should be appointed to a high position at the UN. Uganda has one of the world’s worst human rights records and most inhumane laws that imprisons people just for BEING gay. Read this report and sign the petition. http://www.petertatchellfoundation.org/united-nations/uganda-s-foreign-minister-kutesa-get-top-un-post

Gay Westerners are not the only ones hooked on fantasy gay erotica. Try straight Chinese women, which, again and again, reveals that human sexuality is wonderfully diverse, individual and magical. http://www.fridae.asia/gay-news/2014/05/28/12632.chinese-women-find-self-emancipation-in-male-gay-erotica

Nevermind that NOM is virulently hateful and very discriminatory; they defend their illegal behavior by saying they fear donors would be at risk of threats and harassment–the very attitudes they express toward LGBT citizens. It’s hard to be more hypocritical than this! They need to go back to their churches and pray for some sanity

While much of the world vilifies us and distorts the truth about same-sex love, America, for all its faults, continues to shift the social paradigm toward equality and justice. The essential issue is not homo-sexuality but the greater issue of love between two human beings. Across many African, European and Asian countries these two natural

A remarkable double event in Antwerp as it hosted the OutGames 2013 and the affiliated Human Rights Conference themed ‘From Safe Harbor to Equality’. By Richard Ammon GlobalGayz.com September 2013 Being There There was nothing quite like it before or since. As I stepped off the streamline train from the Brussels airport into the

A recent survey published in the Deseret News (http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865581728/Survey-Gay-and-lesbian-population-has-unique-religious-profile.html) reveals LGBT Americans are “less religious than the general population, and as a group, they feel religion is unfriendly toward them.” This comes as no surprise, especially in light of the recent excommunication of a Catholic priest who supported gay rights in public! (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/30/brazil-priest-excommunicated_n_3187812.html) Modern institutional

In today’s New York Times a front page article discussed the presence of openly gay law clerks working at the Supreme Court in Washington, D.C. In that story a quotation from Justice Scalia was printed from his 2003 dissent against the Lawrence v Texas (to protect the privacy two consenting adults). He said, “Today’s opinion,”

I travel a lot and I wonder a lot: why is there so much hostility, repression and brutality in the world? It’s easy to see from my perspective as a adult gay male, especially in the summer time when many LGBTs mount their festivals and parades. Year after year come the reports of attacks on

These days it’s easy enough to find appealing LGBT travel destinations with comfortable lodgings, good food and pleasant tourist site. Whether by cruise ship, plane or on a bicycle the world is clearly accessible to anyone with a budget and desire to see distant places. In addition to the popular ports of call such as

Queen Elizabeth II of England takes a half-step forward against discrimination–signs a 2013 charter addressed to members of the Commonwealth of present and former British-controlled colonies and states. But by not directly mentioning sexual orientation or homosexuality she continues the age-old glacial movement of positive human rights against the darkness of politico-religio-based homophobia. When England

He was very much the consummate artist, musician and humanist who proved beyond any doubt that being gay has nothing to do with being a hero, a role model, a benefactor and an asset to American culture. He was far beyond a mere stigmatized label reviled by homophobes who demean and dismiss LGBT people

Gay American writer Andrew Sullivan claims ex-Pope Benedict will not go into hidden retirement but will instead continue living in the Vatican with trusted secretary Archbishop Georg Gaenswein http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2013/02/28/catholic-blogger-andrew-sullivan-speculates-the-pope-could-be-gay/ The deeper sadness in all this speculation is that the artifice of religious dogma and tradition have polluted whatever love two people may have for each

Succumbing to Defeat Life is not often easy when you are different, especially when that difference is being gay. It can be a self imposed death sentence if you are a young, gay, harassed, bullied, humiliated and stigmatized student. Listed here are eight young men who could not overcome the force of enmity and hatred

Here is a down home rural story from the highly urban New York Times. The report is a poignant yet positive portrait of very small town America where the Commissioners voted in favor of a ban on discrimination against LGBT citizens of that place. How is this possible? In Kentucky? I think the answer is

Gay High School Boy Trapped in a Hetero School Milieu http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2013/01/10/comment-the-truth-about-being-a-gay-16-year-old-at-an-all-boys-boarding-school/ I understand this boy’s feeling of being trapped in an alien environment of a ridiculing and humiliating hetero school culture. Straight students (and the larger straight population) have no clue about the crushing oppression of having to wear a mask of identity and bear

I am looking at two journal reports from the NY Times that look across two very different plains in gay America. One is a full-page coverage of a September 2012 gay wedding of two well-off gay men in the prime of their lives and professions. The other is a recent opinion piece, entitled ‘Excluded From

These LGBT participants have to be among the bravest souls on the planet to arrange a gay Pride parade and march unarmed into enemy territory against armed police and abusive opponents in an effort to exercise their right to free expression. It pits peaceful truth against savage ignorance, political poison and religious hatred. What appears

The long reach of Caribbean homophobia does not only effect gay people. It also has a toxic influence on young (mostly heterosexually inclined) schoolboys who purposely under-achieve in school in order not to appear too smart which is considered a girlish and gay trait. These comment are the result of a 2011 study of school-age

European Parliament Condemns Violence Against Lesbians in Africa “The European Parliament yesterday adopted a resolution on violence against lesbian women and gay and transgender rights more generally in Africa. MEPs acted in response to increasing reports of arrests and violence against LGBTI people, and particularly lesbian women, on the continent…” Read full report: http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2012/07/06/european-parliament-condemns-violence-against-lesbians-in-africa/ This

Editorial Comment: Gay Cruise Ship Forbidden Morocco Landing This is a story of a forbidden cruise ship landing and the homophobia whipped up by local media despite no official government ban. After the incident Morocco’s Tourism Minister Lahcen Haddad said “no official decision had been made to prevent the ship from stopping in Morocco.” Too

The Sandusky sex scandal currently rattling in the media is of course very sad, confusing and more complicated than is publicly reported. Part of this awful event and issue is that children are by nature vulnerable, incomplete and easily intimidated by adults who are bigger and more powerful. Any child can be a victim of

Saturday June 2 will see the American debut of the Turkish film ‘Zenne Dancer‘ a drama based on the life an death of Ahmet Yildiz who was murdered in cold blood by his own father who refused to accept his son’s homosexuality. Information about the screening in San Diego is at: http://filmoutsandiego.tix.com/Event.asp?Event=467884 This real life

Princeton, N.J. — The simple fact was that he had done something wrong, and at the end of a long and revolutionary career it didn’t matter how often he’d been right, how powerful he once was, or what it would mean for his legacy. Dr. Robert L. Spitzer, considered by some to be the father

This “contentious” and “controversial” issue swirling around the media is really a non-issue simply because it is the right thing to do. There is no other intelligent choice. Those who oppose gay marriage remain in the dark about human nature and will go down along with advocates of other non-issues such a racial equality and

My name is Jennifer Tyrrell. I am a devoted partner, mother, friend and community leader in Bridgeport, Ohio. I’m also a former Tiger Cub den leader with the Boy Scouts of America (BSA). I was recently removed from this volunteer position, and my membership was revoked after nearly a year of service – just because

WHY are political and religious figures who campaign against gay rights so often implicated in sexual encounters with same-sex partners? In recent years, Ted Haggard, an evangelical leader who preached that homosexuality was a sin, resigned after a scandal involving a former male prostitute; Larry Craig, a United States senator who opposed including sexual orientation

April 19, 2012 At 6535 miles we were quite far from Mecca, a quarter way round the world, at 35,000 feet somewhere over the Atlantic. I know this because our TV monitor on Delta flight 73 from Istanbul to New York showed that distance every couple of hours with an arrow pointing to the holy

By Richard Ammon GlobalGayz.com March 28, 2012 Homophobia strikes yet again–and again. (1) Daniel Zamudio, a 24-year-old gay Chilean man was so severely beaten by alleged neo-Nazi skinheads that he was declared brain-dead as a result of a violent homophobic attack in Santiago . He died this week in the hospital after three weeks in

By Richard Ammon GlobalGayz.com February 27, 2012 Slowly, slowly we show the diversity and truth of our being: Gay Marine Brandon Morgan Homecoming Kiss Goes Viral Look at these two wonderful reunions–lovers doing what they should after a long separation. Yet, there is nothing unique about these kisses between Brandon and Dalan (photo right) and

By Richard Ammon GlobalGayz.com February 24, 2012 As we speak, the Supreme Court of India is hearing a landmark case regarding the legality of homosexuality in that country. The debate focuses on the antiquated victorian law that criminalizes homosexual behavior which the British imposed on India (and all of its empire colonies around the world)

Today’s NY Times carries a headline story: Bishops Were Prepared for Battle Over Birth Control Coverage (http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/10/us/bishops-planned-battle-on-birth-control-coverage-rule.html?_r=1&hp) By Richard Ammon GlobalGayz.com Look at the photo of this overfed, overweight, arrogant cleric dressed in embroidered costume squatting on his ornately carved throne sporting his gold archbishop ring. (Can there be anything further from Jesus!?) It is

A debate about homosexuality in Islam is beginning. But in Muslim lands persecution—and hypocrisy—are still rife From: The Economist February 4, 2012 One leaflet showed a wooden doll hanging from a noose and suggested burning or stoning homosexuals. “God Abhors You” read another. A third warned gays: “Turn or Burn”. Three Muslim men who handed

While written for a heterosexual audience, we can certainly adapt this information to our gay partnerships as the following content illustrates issues that are universal to all relationship styles. Hopefully you will find it useful as it applies to evaluating your own relationship for maximizing its success. Top 10 Reasons Relationships Work 10. “Our relationship

American actress Cynthia Nixon recently stirred up a storm of opinion as to whether a person is gay by birth or by choice. See the following news reports: -http://www.latimes.com/health/boostershots/la-heb-cynthia-nixon-gay-by-choice-20120125,0,2504094.story -http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2012/01/27/cynthia-nixon-bisexuals-we-get-no-respect/ -http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2094099/Cynthia-Nixon-gay-choice-Actress-seeks-clarify-comments-causing-outrage.html?ito=feeds-newsxml This whole line of thinking is backwards and being looked at from the wrong end–whether or not homosexuality is inborn or chosen. The real

By Richard Ammon GlobalGayz.com January 22, 2012 The American actress Cynthia Nixon is currently starring in a Broadway play ‘Wit’ for which she has received high praise. The play is about a life-changing experience with cancer. In the past recent years Nixon’s has experienced her own, but different, life-changing experience that few other people understand.

From: Out and Around http://www.outandaround.com/ By Jenn January 11, 2012 After six months of travel in Asia, I’ve gotten used to people trying to kick me out of the women’s restroom thinking that I am a man. Usually after I explain to the startled women that there is no need to be alarmed, they respond

Yet two more teen suicides spurred on by high school bullying and harassment from peers. (Read previous blog on gay teen suicides.) Last month, 14-year-old Jamey Rodemeyer killed himself in Buffalo, N.Y., after years of homophobic harassment. (photo right) Last week in Ottowa, Canada 13 year-old Jamie Hubley took his life. He too was taunted

How fine is this: the British government is threatening to cut its foreign aid to homophobic countries because of their laws and treatment against LGBT citizens. If only more wealthy countries got serious about backing up their human rights standards with financial penalties we might see some serious change of policies in places like Malawi, Uganda, Ghana,

Today is a very sad day due to the premature death of one of America’s most dedicated and inspiring lesbian leaders, Paula Ettelbrick, former executive director of IGLHRC (International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission). I met Paula several times over the past decade at several international LGBT conferences as well as for some lunches.

By Richard Ammon GlobalGayz.com September 12, 2011 Many stories circulate about this Catholic clergyman, a Franciscan friar; about his past alcoholism; his down-to-earth style of ministering; chaplain for the New York Fire Department; saying mass in the local firehouse; dubbed the ‘Saint of 9/11,’ in a 2006 documentary; his private homosexual orientation; his friendships with

As I travel the world interviewing LGBT people about their lives, their cultures and countries I hear stories of effort, strategy, frustration and achievement. One question I have failed to ask these courageous activists, some risking their lives, is “how far away is hope?” How far away is hope for equality, tolerance, acceptance, relationship recognition,

Recently I sent a gay friend some photos of ‘hot’ men, that is, beautiful looking adult males with minimal clothes that revealed their handsome faces and muscled bodies. Several such images are included here (taken randomly from the Internet). After my friend finished swooning he recovered his breath and asked why did some guys have

The following bit of news was written by Jamie Johnson and published in Vanity Fair magazine July 19, 2011 (http://www.vanityfair.com/online/daily/2011/07/harmonic-divergence-wealthy-dropping-the-dalai-lamas-name-literally.html) “It was big news last weekend when President Obama refused to let journalists into his private meeting with the Dalai Lama. The maneuver reflects increasing concerns in the U.S. that emphatic public support for the

Gays Are Not the Only Targets of Persecution in Afghanistan. “It was the beginning of an Afghan love story that flouted dominant traditions of arranged marriages and close family scrutiny, a romance between two teenagers of different ethnicities that tested a village’s tolerance for more modern whims of the heart. The results were delivered with

I’ve never seen anything like it. A gay deluge in the media: gay marriage in NY; mainstream gay-theme films; congressional approval of an openly gay federal gay judge; children of gays; Obama’s administration’s removal of support for DOMA; major newspaper editorials applauding gay marriage; an historic UN resolution, in June 2011, condemning discrimination on the

The following editorial is from ‘The Trumpet‘, an online newsletter of the Church of God, regarding the California law that requires some gay history to be included in public school education curricula: “Landmark law reveals that the war against family is intensifying” –“California’s public schools will be required to teach students about the contributions of

Leading Republican candidates can’t wait to broadcast their bigotry against gay Americans. Incredibly, in public statements they are shamelessly lining up to promote discrimination as part of their conservative platforms. What kind of humanistic, religious, American leadership can they possibly offer when they advocate overt abuse of human rights with their in-humanistic, un-Christian, anti-American rhetoric.–against

Book review: THE LAND NEAR OZ: TWO GAY YANKEES MOVE TO NEW ZEALAND In this book, memoirist and humorist Aaron Allbright examines the mystical fringes of life with a side of love and a little hash. Filled with great affection, indescribable moments of serendipity, and a few cattle calls, this debut is a raucous spot

Ya gotta love the old guy who said this: “We should not accept religious literature instead of scientific report.” The Delhi High Court bench headed by Chief Justice A P Shah remarked in response to a Solicitor General who cited an article condemning gay sex by quoting the Bible. “These are not scientific reports. These

Sunday’s New York Times (online, July 3) featured four articles about homosexuality in America–on the front page. In the context of a recent wave of gay issues in the media (Governor Cuomo wins the NY gay marriage vote (photo right); Rhode Island approves civil unions; New Jersey’s governor rejects gay marriage; the debate over DADT

By Richard Ammon GlobalGayz.com June 25, 2011 Recent news reports have posted this story: Timothy Dolan, the Roman Catholic archbishop of New York (photo right), on Sunday prayed for the defeat of a gay marriage bill in the Empire State. During Sunday’s prayer service at St. Patrick’s cathedral in New York City, Dolan said: “Any

By Richard Ammon GlobalGayz.com June 19, 2011 Progress or standoff? Gay Pride in UK vs Croatia: Homophobia, Changing Culture and Fear Two news stories arrived on my computer today about two very different Gay Pride Parades, one in Oxford, England and the other in the Croatian city of Split.: Croatia – http://www.ukgaynews.org.uk/Archive/11/Jun/1104.htm Oxford – http://www.ukgaynews.org.uk/Archive/11/Jun/1101.htm

By Richard Ammon GlobalGayz.com June 3, 2011 In the past week I have visited the mansions of three early presidents of America: Jefferson’s ‘Monticello’ (photo right), Monroe’s ‘Ashlawn’ and Andrew Jackson’s ‘Hermitage’, in Virginia and Tennessee. Viewing these stately properties a modern visitor can glimpse a past way of life both elegant as well as

By Richard Ammon GlobalGayz.com May 20, 2011 Surrounding the upscale condo towers and long white beaches of Rio de Janiero, up on the hills, there are numerous slum neighborhoods, shanty towns, where millions of people live in substandard housing with open sewers, tangled electric wires, broken walkways, private militias and drug gangs with machine guns

By Richard Ammon GlobalGayz.com May 17, 2011 International Day Against Homophobia If you knew this child had a homosexual orientation would you refuse to feed him? to clothe him? to shelter him? put him out of the family? tell him he could not desire love? Think about it: such rejections would kill him. It doesn’t

By Richard Ammon GlobalGayz.com May 15, 2011 Within 24 hours last week a dear friend’s mother died of old age and my nephew and wife gave birth to a baby boy. There may be something profound in this cycle of life and death but I’m not sure. Is it just human anatomy changing forms? Is

On March 5 this year the British Broadcasting Company, always looking for unusual or controversial subject matter to entertain its audience, found spice in sponsoring a debate about homosexuality in Africa. It’s a topic that is guaranteed to stir up dissonance and disagreement and, true to form, the televised ‘discussion’ indeed did just that. With

I have seen and read about homophobia for many years, from the streets in Eastern Europe to the recent debate on South African TV (‘Is Homosexuality un-African?’). A report came across recently that Scott Lively–the American anti-gay crusader who stirred up gay-hate legislation in Uganda last year–was recently in Moldova warning legislators of the impending

By Richard Ammon GlobalGayz.com March 23, 2011 In 2009 I wrote a blog about male circumcision and HIV in which I doubted the usefulness of removing the male foreskin to prevent or reduce HIV infection. I noted that virtually all Danish men are not circumcised (as I personally observed during the 2nd OutGames in Copenhagen)

By Richard Ammon GlobalGayz.com Feb 6, 2011 The world’s largest cruise ship, Allure of the Seas, owned by Royal Caribbean sets sail with 5400 LGBT passengers in February 6-13 for a week of sun, fun, camaraderie and validation. Anyone who is shy about publicly showing their affection to their same-sex partner, friend or a new

From: Washington Post February 2, 2011 In Uganda and America: Words Matter By The Rt. Rev. V. Gene Robinson of New Hampshire (photo right) Words can inspire good, and they can incite hatred. We’re seeing a lot of the latter lately, and it’s getting dangerous. Even deadly. Last week, one of the only gay activists

Introduction An Africa queer Muslim writer opens a small window onto the difficult world of gay love between two boys-to-men in Somalia who simply want to live peacefully in love. But the world around them–danger, threats, harassment, civil war–forces them away from home into unpredictable changes. This story is not new but the human nature

By Richard Ammon GlobalGayz.com Jan 28, 2011 Here is a revolting story about a funeral that only deranged minister Fred Phelps could admire–and inspire. The behavior described in this story from Reuters (below) is about as blasphemous, disgusting, irreverent and anti-Christ as one could ever expect from a Christian clergyman–as wickedly perverted as Fred Phelps

From: Sharon Groves Religion and Faith Program Human Rights Campaign, Washington DC U.S. pastors are exporting bigotry to Uganda, with brutal results. This is an issue close to my heart, because I’ve spent over a decade working for equality as a lay leader in my own church, and now, as acting director of HRC’s Religion

By Richard Ammon GlobalGayz.com December 20, 2010 Since I posted this originally on October 2, there have been three more gay teen suicides, in Oklahoma, Michigan and Pennsylvania. In addition I have found out about other earlier deaths. So I’m re-posting this blog entry with the names and stories: Recent 2010 gay suicides and others

By Richard Ammon GlobalGayz.com It doesn’t happen often in today’s contentious culture wars, but our LGBT worldwide community has achieved–along with our allies–a double win this month against blatant homophobic forces that refuse to recognize our equality and dignity. First, highly symbolic and very real is the restoration of “sexual orientation” to a UN resolution

By Richard Ammon GlobalGayz.com December 7, 2010 Bangkok For the third year in a row there is no BKK Pride festival. Ask different people and get different answers: disinterest from local Thai activists; lack of police cooperation; no money; homophobia; frustration and withdrawal of foreign leadership. “There are just too many obstacles, resistance and petty

By Richard Ammon GlobalGayz.com October 25, 2010 In addition to raising consciousness about bullying, offering prayers and sympathies to families effected and writing supportive blog and holding vigils, we LGBT people also need to get tough and bully back to the criminals and idiots who want to hurt us. LEARN MARTIAL ARTS TODAY! There are

By Richard Ammon GlobalGayz.com December 20, 2010 Since I posted this originally on October 2, there have been three more gay teen suicides, in Oklahoma, Michigan and Pennsylvania. In addition I have found out about four other earlier deaths. So I’m re-posting this blog entry with the updated names and stories: Recent 2010 gay suicides

By Bishop Gene Robinson (Gay) Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire; Senior Fellow, Center for American Progress October 15, 2010 An increasingly popular bumper sticker reads, “Guns Don’t Kill People — Religion Kills People!” In light of recent events I would add religion kills young people: gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender young people.

By Richard Ammon October 10, 2010 A 19-year-old gay man from Norman, Oklahoma has taken his own life, and his parents say a hate-filled recent City Council meeting he attended may have driven him over the edge. Zach Harrington was a talented musician who’d endured years of struggles due to his sexual orientation in high

By Richard Ammon GlobalGayz.com October 3, 2010 I find it strangely ironic that the two Rutgers University students charged with invasion of privacy that led to the death of a gay student, Tyler Clementi (photo right) are both from ethnic minorities in America. Dharun Ravi is of Indian (Asia) descent and Molly Wei is from

By Richard Ammon GlobalGayz.com October 2, 2010 October 10, 2010 Eight recent gay suicides and four from recent years are tragic and shameful wounds on our culture where public homophobia is still legal with no national legislation to outlaw such hate speech and action–including school bullying and harassment. Public homophobia (in religions, politics, schools, corporations,

New York Times By Dirk Johnson September 26, 2010 Madison, Wisconsin, USA They say money can’t buy happiness — but it can finance the research. When Richard Davidson (left in photo) , then a psychology doctoral student in the 1970s, told his advisers at Harvard that he planned to study the power of meditation, the

Richard Ammon, GlobalGayz.com August 28, 2010 My sport is swimming and recently in Copenhagen, Denmark I went for a workout one day at a local pool. In the shower afterward, I noticed two things: one, how uninhibited male Danes are. No showers stalls or curtains here. Everyone from old to young and in between totally

By Richard Ammon GlobalGayz.com September 25, 2010 Here is the latest on the front line of Russia’s gay rights struggle: Russia: Protest Over Gay Rights By Reuters News September 21, 2010 At least eleven gay-rights activists were taken into police custody on Tuesday at a protest calling for the arrest of Moscow’s conservative mayor, Yuri

By Richard Ammon GlobalGayz.com September 11, 2010 September 11 is clearly a day of remembrance and sorrow and reflection about the past events in New York, Washington and Virginia. Families, cultures and religions were ripped apart that should not have been. Inhumanity struck a blow to civilized life and the consequences still reverberate around the

By Richard Ammon GlobalGayz.com August 14, 2010 I’m back home from another stellar week of the Gay Games, my 7th, in Cologne, Germany (July 31-Aug 7). The Gay Games are the gay version of the Olympics but since we legally can’t called them that, Gay Games will have to do. Besides that name rings truer

By Richard Ammon GlobalGayz.com August 22, 2010 I usually watch the PBS News Hour with Jim Lehrer. At the end of the the program the News Hour sometimes shows recently killed troops from Iraq and Afghanistan They are shown in silence with a photo of each and identifying information, some as young as 19. Since

By Richard Ammon GlobalGayz.com June 25, 2010 A hundred years ago today my grandparents, Francis and Cora, were married and our immediate family began. I have no family memory beyond that–photos and stories yes but no memories. My paternal great-grandfather died in 1915. My maternal great-grandmother lived to 1938, before my birth. But starting a

By Richard Ammon GlobalGayz.com July 1, 2010 This week I cut down a thirty-foot tree, scraped layers of old paint from window frames, pressure-sprayed a brick wall, ordered 3 tons of gravel for the yard, saw the film encore of the Metropolitan Operas‘ ‘Romeo et Juliette’ (Gounod), shopped twice for groceries and once for gasoline,

By Richard Ammon GlobalGayz.com June 20, 2010 There have been several fathers and grandfathers in my life, some known in person, others through family stories, others by name only. My father and his father were the only ones I knew in person. My mother’s father died before my birth. All my great grandfathers were long

By Richard Ammon GlobalGayz.com June 20, 2010 For more than forty years I took photos wherever I went–local family and friends, distant lands, famous landmarks, oceans, landscapes, handsome people, unexpected moments… or myself in 1990 (photo right). Whatever came into view that appealed to my sensuous eye or aesthetic intuition. Hundreds, thousands of images accumulated

By Richard Ammon GlobalGayz.com June 5, 2010 I joined a 24-hour Fitness gym last year. I thought I was buying into an exercise venue. That it is, complete with a 5-lane pool which I use almost everyday. But what they didn’t tell me when I put up my cash is that the fitness center and

By Richard Ammon GlobalGayz.com MemorialDay, May 31, 2010 Ninety-two years ago my great uncle, John Ammon (photo right), had his young life taken from him in a 1918 World War I battle (St. Georges, France), less than 30 days before the armistice that ended the carnage. The total number of Americans killed and wounded numbered

By Richard Ammon GlobalGayz.com May 30, 2010 Some portholes of light in the sewers of homophobia around the world this past week: Zimbabwe released from jail, on bail, two GALZ (Gays and Lesbian of Zimbabwe) staff members (Ellen Chadehama and Ignatius Mhambi) after being arrested on trumped up charges of ‘undermining the authority of the

It takes great courage to confront the brick wall of systemic homophobia in Morocco. By Richard Ammon GlobalGayz.com May 28, 2010 Read this News Report (http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/features/awi/features/2010/05/27/feature-03) or read the Previous Blog, May 27, on this site (http://globalgayz.blogspot.com/2010/05/courageous-gay-magazine-mithly-debuts.html) about a gay magazine published for Moroccan gay people and distributed in major cities in Morocco. A daring

Despite Islamist hostility and a restrictive legal climate, homosexuals in Morocco are publishing a magazine that covers issues in their community and beyond. Posted by Richard Ammon GlobalGayz.com May 27, 2010 By Imane Belhaj Magharebia News Casablanca [mithly.net] Magazine Mithly (Gay) published its first edition in April but has not applied for a government li

“Governments should “not be guided by public morality, but by constitutional morality…” Posted by Richard Ammon GlobalGayz.comFridae.com News 24 May 2010 by Laurindo Garcia Nineteen of 48 countries in the Asia Pacific region criminalize male-to-male sex which contributes to over 90 percent of gay and bisexual men in the region being denied access to HIV

By Richard Ammon GlobalGayz.com December 2009 (Note: Tiwonge and Steven were released from jail in May 29, 2010 by Malawi President Bingu wa Mutharika; see story) As if the homophobic proposals (to kill gays) in the Ugandan legislature weren’t bad enough–at least they are only proposals at this time–now comes the incredible action taken by a

Beyond Gay: The Politics of Pride A film by Bob Christie (Canada, 2009) From the Director “Gay people are famous for being fabulous and having lots of fun, and really that was my goal for the audience experience of Beyond Gay. So the film is definitely equal parts entertainment and education. Many people, gay and

Richard Ammon GlobalGayz.com Mat 14, 2010 Hopefully some day coming out won’t be such a big deal and won’t be news–or do we gay (LGBT people) secretly like the rush of notoriety, the fuss, the ‘news worthy’ event, by appearing to win one more to our club, gaining over the homophobes and discovering the inside

Richard Ammon The Pines, Fire Island Long Island, New York May 8, 2010 This is where the gay boys are housed in their trendy unpainted wood and glass mansionettes surrounded by scrub oaks, wooden sidewalks, sandy beaches and testosterone. It takes a ferry to get here and much money to stay; it’s definitely a place

Richard Ammon GlobalGayz.com I recently traveled to Russia where I visited three cities: Moscow, St. Petersburg and Tula. Tula? It’s hardly a tourist hotspot, but this industrial city 120 miles south of Moscow is the location of a world renown site that has become a shrine of sorts for intellectuals, students and lovers of Russian

Richard Ammon GlobalGayz April 27, 2010 Letter from Russia. Gay Russia is surprisingly alive or dead according to the view you have from being there. Dense homophobia pervades the culture. A visitor will not find a public scene. No flags, no parades, no store-front centers or offices, one magazine, a couple of on-line gay sites

Richard Ammon. GlobalGayz.com January 11, 2010 Someone recently reviewed my website, GlobalGayz.com, and thought it was not focused well. Was it a gay site? A travel site? A human rights advocacy site? A political site? A news reports site? My reply was short: being openly gay at the turn of the 21st is a political

Richard Ammon, GlobalGayz Laguna Beach, California January 5, 2010 How many ways can you kill a person for being gay? We like to use the word ‘barbarian’ these days to describe ancient war tactics, medieval religious torture and primitive ‘medical’ practices. But the truth is barbaric practices are in current vogue in certain countries around

Richard Ammon, GlobalGayz.com Laguna Beach, California, January 1, 2010 5 AM before sunrise, Southern California A brilliant white glowing moon hangs, seemingly weightless, on the edge of deep space, over the Pacific Ocean, its luminescence reflected in the rippling water. The dark gray-blue sky is cloudless. The moon is completely full round. The air is

Richard Ammon, GlobalGayz.com Laguna Beach, December 31, 2009 My partner and I had sex the other night. No, this is not an expose or verbal porn. I offer these words as a reflection on at least three of life’s major happenings: aging, sex and love, i.e.long term relationships—all rolled into one. I am almost 70.

Neophyte Legislator Proposes Deadly Laws Against Gays: Unleashes International Protest Richard Ammon, GlobalGayz Laguna Beach, CA Yoweri Museveni has been president of Uganda for 24 years in a country that had suffered decades of government corruption, mismanagement, bloody guerilla activity and civil war, all preceded by the the horrors of the Idi Amin tyranny in

Richard Ammon, GlobalGayz.com Laguna Beach, CA December 16, 2009 ‘Gay Travels in the Muslim World‘ editor Michael Luongo will be signing the new Arabic translation of his book at the Beirut Book Fair in BIEL on Tuesday, December 22, at 6pm, at the Arab Diffusion (Al Intishar al Arabi) Publisher’s stand, number G18. This is

Richard Ammon, GlobalGayz.com New York City I am continually saddened by how far and deep irrational thought (myth) can infuse a society, especially regarding a political or religious issue. Gay marriage is one issue that arouses irrational political and religious discomfort. It’s an issue that burns because it involves or implies human sexual behavior, which

Richard Ammon, GlobalGayz.com Laguna Beach California Now for some good news among the waves of homophobia swirling around these days, especially from Africa. The new USA ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa was sworn in the other day. Not a major political jolt or international flap but a decidedly moving event considering that the new

Richard Ammon, GlobalGayz Laguna Beach, CA The sun went down across the horizon this evening on this commemorative day for people lost to AIDS. A small candlelit gathering on the beach in Laguna (California) named friends, family and lovers who now live only in the memories of those who spoke. The prayers offered were a

Sydney, Australia Richard Ammon, GlobalGayz November 21, 2009 Saying good-by to this remarkably intelligent city is tinged with sadness for me. For a gay person to live or visit, it doesn’t get much better than here. The LGBT community is vitally alive in virtually every fabric of daily life, from the highest reaches of government

Westhampton, MA – October 11, 2009 Richard Ammon – GlobalGayz.com Marine from Amherst, MA loses leg following Humvee explosion in Afghanistan Read story here This evening I went to a benefit banquet for a 26 year-old war-maimed marine, a local resident here in the Northampton area of western Massachusetts–on the same day Barack Obama was

Westhampton, MA – September 30, 2009 Richard Ammon – GlobalGayz.com The September 27, 2009 New York Times Magazine cover story of a 13 year-old boy who has come out at school is notable in many ways: -it was published by America’s premier newspaper -it was made a daring headline story with photos -it’s about homosexual

Westhampton, MA – September 27, 2009 Richard Ammon – GlobalGayz.com This is a very sad story of world-class Nobel recipient gay man whose decades-long research made significant discoveries into a degenerative brain disease that struck particularly at children known as kuru–now known as the deadly Mad Cow Disease. For his work on kuru, Dr. Daniel

Westhampton, MA – September 24, 2009 Richard Ammon – GlobalGayz.com This is a story from Magharebia News by Hayam El Hadi published yesterday about the ritual of male circumcision in Algeria. The action taken is a surgical removal of the penis foreskin, essentially a mutilation of the body. And for this pain and humiliation the

Westhampton, MA – September 24, 2009 Richard Ammon – GlobalGayz.com The National Equality March (NEM) is being organized by Equality Across America (EAA) with one simple demand: full equality for all GLBT people in all matters governed by civil law in all 50 states. Now. Events are now taking place in every state as a

Westhampton, MA – September 19, 2009 Richard Ammon – GlobalGayz.com Ever wonder where the sexually abusive Catholic priests might have gotten the idea that sexual activity with children is acceptable–even legal? Look at this: There is an equal age of consent set at 12 years of age (Article 331 (1) of the Vatican laws). When

Westhampton, MA – September 14, 2009 Richard Ammon – GlobalGayz.com Don’t you just love the values and justice of our modern political world: Bush started a war on false pretenses resulting in the deaths of thousands of innocent people and got to retire in luxury, and a protesting journalist who opposed the war got thrown

Westhampton, MA – September 14, 2009 Richard Ammon – GlobalGayz.com Quoted here are excerpts from the Associated Press of September 14, 2009 and published by the New York Times. It is easy to be cynical and exaggerate the extent of abuse by clergy against children but that serves no purpose other than creating more abuse,

Westhampton, MA – September 4, 2009 Richard Ammon – GlobalGayz.com The Amateur Boxing Association of Thailand (ABAT) has discriminated against a straight boxer for posing suggestively for the cover of a gay magazine. This is a new take on homophobic discrimination: instead of acting prejudicially against a gay person, the ABAT has discriminated against a

Westhampton, MA – September 4, 2009 Richard Ammon – GlobalGayz.com Given the current swirl of science, medicine, folk opinions and religious attitudes about male circumcision and its correlation (or not) with HIV infection in Africa and the West, it should not come as a surprise to see a zany book come out of left field

In loving memory of Zambian lesbian activist Buumba Sikumba (BMJ) who was interviewed by me for the GlobalGayz story on gay life in Zambia in 2008. She passed away in September 2009 after an illness. She was a full spirit with a passion for life and for human rights. A bigger-than-life figure she was also

Westhampton, MA – September 1, 2009 Richard Ammon – GlobalGayz.com For fifteen years attempts to conduct a peaceful pride parade in Budapest, Hungary have resulted in violence and arrests of right-wing groups who are fiercely homophobic. Next up is the 2009 parade on September 5 when both sides of the battle will gear up for

Westhampton, MA – August 30, 2009 Richard Ammon – GlobalGayz.com Can there be any stronger sacrifice to the cause of truth or principle than the death of a person? The truth is that Matthew Shepard was gay. His murderers killed him for the vague principle that killing or maiming gays is okay. Sanctioned homophobia comes

Posted by Richard Ammon, GlobalGayz.comI was fortunate to attend the July 2009 OutGames and Human Rights Conference in Copenhagen, Denmarkwhere the following publication was presented by ILGA on behalf of worldwide lesbian activists and supporters. In the past decade lesbians have taken their full place on the world stage of human rights advocacy. Once relegated

“For all those whose cares have been our concern, the work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives, and the dream shall never die.” From GlobalGayz.com: Richard Ammon, owner Westhampton, MA I grew up with the Kennedys in our government, the longest serving being Ted Kennedy. He was a presence in my life

Westhampton, MA – August 18, 2009 Richard Ammon – GlobalGayz.com This blog is a note of greeting and appreciation to the many LGBT activists – some whom I know – who made the July 2009 Copenhagen World OutGames Human Rights Conference a profound success: I was delighted and my heart was warmed to see your

Copenhagen, Denmark – July 26, 2009 Richard Ammon, GlobalGayz.com Many years ago, I attended a couple of seminars offered by this “guru” when he was little known. Today he is one of India‘s most respected spiritual teachers, and I came across an article about what he recently said about being gay. So much has been

Westhampton, MA – July 12, 2009 Richard Ammon, GlobalGayz.com Gay Muslim book translates into possible trouble. GlobalGayz protests “perverted” book title used for Arab translation of book about gay Muslims Today’s New York Post carried the following story about the newly published book Gay Travels in the Muslim World. The book is a collection of

Intro: Despite daunting persecution of gays in many countires, a guest author surveys mid-nineties optimistic gains in gay expression, gay pride activity and legal status around the world. Bangkok by John Duvoli The Economist Revised June 1, 2008 Photos by Richard Ammon Across the world a radical idea about homosexuals is gaining ground:

John Ammon Remembered (1888-1918) John in his twenties (1908-13) with camera Also see: John Ammon Photo Gallery Photo Galleries of World War 1: Northern France where John’s company fought and John died. Introduction to a Short Life How are people remembered after they die? Unless blessed or cursed with fame or infamy, the departed